Hindu dharma is implicitly at odds with monotheistic intolerance.
What is happening in India is a new historical awakening... Indian intellectuals, who want to be secure in their liberal beliefs, may not understand what is going on. But every other Indian knows precisely what is happening: deep down he knows that a larger response is emerging even if at times this response appears in his eyes to be threatening.

Previous Posts

Recent Comments

Friday, April 01, 2005

NEW DELHI: A group of Indian Muslim leaders on Friday told former Pakistan prime minister Shujat Hussain that India was a secular country "because of Hindus".

"It is because of the Hindus that India remains a secular country," a spokesman for the Jama Masjid mosque said. "This is what we told him."

The spokesman said the group, including Jama Masjid Shahi Imam Syed Ahmad Bukhari, met Hussain for about 30 minutes when he came to offer Friday prayers.

Later on in a speech laced with political significance, former Pakistan prime minister Shujat Hussain prayed at the historic Jama Masjid and called upon Indian Muslims to integrate themselves fully with the mainstream.

Almost six decades after the sub-continent's partition, Pakistan's ruling party on Friday gave a formal burial to the two-nation theory by urging Indian Muslims to love their motherland.

"You are Indians by choice. So live like Indians. Nobody forced you to stay back (and not settle in Pakistan)," Hussain told a large gathering at the 17th-century red stone mosque in the city's old quarters.

He reminded the gathering in Urdu that Indian Muslims should love their motherland as they stayed back in India,......rejecting the offer to move over to the newly created Pakistan.

"You (Indian Muslims) should do everything for the progress and development of the country," he said.

Hussain, who is president of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League, is the highest- ranking Pakistani leader to visit the Jama Masjid, which along with the Red Fort across the street was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.

The Pakistan Muslim League, although now divided into more than one faction, considers itself the rightful successor to the Muslims League that led the drive for Pakistan's creation.

Hussain also referred to India-Pakistan relations, saying he was optimistic that both countries would be able to resolve all their differences and soon.

"I am positive India and Pakistan will resolve their differences. This is also because Indian leaders, be they in the government or the opposition, are in agreement on the issue of overcoming the differences with Pakistan.

"When the attitude of the leaders is right, then there can be no hitch."

He also singled out Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf for the thaw in India-Pakistan ties,...

..."There are impediments in India-Pakistan relations, but Musharraf is determined to do away with them."

The former prime minister, who spent about an hour at the mosque, said: "I am overwhelmed by the hospitality I received.

"I bring a message of peace. I bring greetings from Musharraf and the people of Pakistan."

Hussain, who was prime minister of Pakistan from June 30 to Aug 28 last year, was almost mobbed as a crowd flocked to see and shake hands with him.

Hussain arrived at the mosque with Pakistan High Commissioner Aziz Ahmed Khan. He was welcomed by the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari.

"We pray for peace and prosperity of all countries, be it India, Pakistan or Bangladesh," Bukhari said.

During the violent days of the 1947 partition, the Jama Masjid became a refuge for hundreds of Muslims who fled their homes fearing mob attacks. While many eventually made their way to Pakistan, many more stayed on in India. With some 140 million Muslims, India is home to the second largest Muslim population after Indonesia.